The Washington critic., 1887-03-26
WASHINGTON, MARCH 90, 1887
THE DISTRICT JupGEsHIr.

menl Oh 'lslTlCl ClllIcn 10 tnc vacant
iudgeship. THE Cmrfc regrets that
our esteemed evening contemporary In
thus stating lis proposition, inadvcrt.
emily, no doubt, places us In the position
of opposing the appointment ola ADDS.
irict citizen
The CmTIr has ouieavored,to make
its attitude on lhisqIestlon so plain that
there could he no misun lerstanding
about IT, 1t has certainly never ad.
vancod any opiujou relating thereto
which could be construed as antagouis
tic 10 the appointment Of II resilient
lawyer. We have simply taken the
ground that the selection of judges for
such court as the supreme Court Of
The District of Columbia should not be
limited by the same local rules that
properly apply 10 certain other District
offices; and in passing, we may remark,
that ii there, newspaper here that has
urged upon the President, more siren.
uously than 'fmE CRIrC, In season and
out of season perhaps, IN adherence ID
what is called the Home Rule principle,
we have never heard of IT,.
The Sttr suggests that the best,
ablest and most successful lawyers In
the country at large will not be tempted
by a 81 900 judgeship," even for life
term, but admitting this to be true, the
Importance Of the court is none the less
because of the low salaries that arc
paid, nor is II any the less essential that
the best, the ablest and the most sue.
cessful lawyers in the country who can
be induced TO accept seats upon this
bench for 81 900 year are the ones to
lie chosen.
The argument that good lawyers
elsewhere are not available, whereas
plenty of District lawyers can be had
who are willing to serve as undorpaid
judges, is, TO say the least of 1t, rather
discreditable reflection upon the Wash.
ington bar, if not upon the court 1t.
self.
But the matter of salaries will in all
probability be fixed hereafter upon q
scale more commensurate with the
character of the services to be per.
formed. 1t is shame to the Govern.
ment that first class judicial positions
should have TO go begging for want OF
first.class pay.
As to the complexities of the Co lc,
THE CRITIC admits the point to he
well taken that the lawyer familiar
with Virginia and Maryland law aud
its various entauglemen,s with the
procedure of our local courts would
have an advantage, but the difficulties
thus presented TO an outsider woIld
only be temporary aud by no means In.
surmoun,abic. II isto be remembered,
moreover, that majority of the judges
of this court are intimately acquainted
with the practice, and the possibility of
serious embarrassment arising from the
accession of new man not so well
versed In its lntricacies is too absurd to
lie entertained.
To Cut long matter short, how.
ever, The Critic desires 1t to be under.
stood that all other thiugs being equal,
its preferences are for resident of the
District, but we do insist that In
the selection of an incumbent for n
tribunal of such commanding dignity
and importance the President should
not be limited to the bar of q single
yicinage. II would be unwise and in.
eNpedient In the last degree to place
restrictions of this sort upon the ap.
pointing power in matter which Is
not only of interest TO the citizens Of
Washington, but Of no small concern
to the people of the country at large.
THE selection of Mr.. Fairchid for
the Secretagyship of the Treasury,
which is at last authoritatively an.
nounced, is the outcome of an in.
teresing political experiment. The
President declared his desire to
wipe out sectional prcjudices in tinan.
cial matters by the appointment of a
popular leader of his party in the West
or South, qualified to control the ma.
tional finances and willing to assume
the task. The President was undoubt.
edly sincere in his purpose, and en-
deayored TO find popular leader who
was practical iinancier and willing to
assume the responsibility for the al.
ministratlon Of the finances for the
next two years. The experiment did
not succeed. The desired Western
statesman either was not found or was
not willing to serve, and the President,
after offering TO sacrifice personal pref.
erence, and to make m appointment in
compliance with political dictatiou, has
returned with general assent to the
starting point, and with the approval
of the party leaders of all sections, will
make the Fairchild appointment
THE SrEwAGr sale of paintings at
New York closed last evening, seventy.
four pictures being disposed of a,
S243, 1875, making total Of S5l3. $50
The events of the evening were th,. sale
of Meissonier 1897 for 500 OOO, to Jay
Gould; Rosa BOnheur's Horse Fair, "
for $4,000, to $. p, Avery, for the
Metropolitan Art Museum, and Knaus
"Chidren's Party" for S2l 800, also tc
Jay Gould,
ANY movement looking to the sup
preston of what is impure will be
heartily favored by all good citizens
but an indlscriminato assault upon the
artistic and the vulgar must provoke
violent opposition and in the end de-
feat the object at which the movement
is directed. The ladies who have de.
.fl A. % ,.,at - A. ot,..o..t.,.. . 4,